Three Can Keep A Secret, Right?
by Emhir
Summary: She was neither friend, nor foe, nor family; and definitely not a lover. Yet, the Uchiha brothers would do anything for her; even hide a body. Because they knew secrets about each other that no one else did. And secrets keep people close. Modern AU (no ninja powers), but still set in the Naruto world. Warning: This story contains mature themes and language. Itachi x OC x Sasuke.
1. Chapter 1

**This is a re-upload of _Three Can Keep A Secret, Right?_.  
**

* * *

The beginning of the end.

* * *

The damage was done. There was no going back. Well, even if I had wanted to, I couldn't. Let's just say I didn't quite contemplate the severity of the situation (and the consequences that would follow) until I was already straddled over a bludgeoned corpse, covered in its blood. But that's okay; I'll get away with it. I always do.

* * *

"Have you gone insane? What in the world compelled you to do that? The truth will come out sooner or later, Chiaki, and when it does, you'll drag us down with you." The younger Uchiha brother was practically seething with fury, but was met with a raised eyebrow that seemed to agitate him further.

"Relax, _Sasuke-kun_ , everything will be fine as long as you keep your mouth shut." I emphasized the 'kun' on the end because she knew he hated being referred to like that. Apparently it was how every thirteen-year-old hormonal girl referred to him. Gross.

"Don't call me that you little-"

"Sasuke-kun, oh my god it's Sasuke-kun! I love you Sasuke! Oh, marry me and I'll have your babies!" I mock fainted as I mimicked Sakura Haruno's bold confession word for word. Sakura was the bratty captain of the 'Sasuke-kun' fan club. She was the most annoying girl on the planet, with an annoying voice and annoying friends and freakishly annoying pink hair. Pink. She would wait outside the Uchiha manor every morning with a bunch of her fan-girls, screaming and crying for 'her Sasuke', like he was some kind of celebrity. The only person Sasuke despises more than me was probably her.

I watched Sasuke's face contort into fury at my Sakura impression, and if he wasn't holding onto the sack, he would've probably strangled me right here and now.

"Enough you two," a cold voice cut in. "This is serious."

"Yes _daddy_." I guess I really don't have the word 'serious' in my vocabulary. But the stern look Itachi sent me combined with the death glare Sasuke was still giving me was probably a sign that I should tone it down a little.

"Okay, okay, sheesh. I was just playing around." Getting back to work, I unzipped my backpack and retrieved the bottle of cooking oil I bought last week. It wasn't as ideal as petrol, but it does the job. Plus, buying petrol when I don't own a car would look suspicious to the police if they were to somehow link the murder back to me. Sprinkling the whole bottle onto the sack, and adding twigs and leaves for the cherry on top, my job was done.

Itachi then struck a match, dropping it into the pile, and the three of us watched as it burned away our crimes. Or specifically, _my_ crimes. Soon enough, the air filled with the smell of death as the corpse burned away.

"There, you happy now? We've done everything you've asked of us, now leave us alone," Sasuke hissed. He looked like one of those comical cartoon characters with steam coming out of his ears.

"Honey, you know I could never do that," I replied with a wink. I couldn't let them go now. Not when my life was on the line.

"The deal was, we help you hide the body; you stop stalking us," Itachi said. There was a hint of annoyance in his voice, but his face remained neutral.

"Whoa. I do not stalk, I _observe,_ " I said, pretending to look offended. "Besides, I said I would leave you guys alone if you kept my secret. I can't trust you two to keep my secrets. The minute I leave, you're going to make a beeline for the police station. I can feel it."

"…We won't."

I looked over at the brothers, biting my lip. I did feel a tiny bit guilty for dragging them into this, but you can't blame me. I was desperate and out of options.

"Look here's the deal. I hate having to resort to this, but I'm kind of backed into a corner right now." I pulled out two folders out of my backpack.

"What's that?" The brothers stepped closer, fully attentive now.

"Dossier files. Your dossier files. It contains evidence that reveals every dirty secret of yours that you've tried to bury. In other words, expose my secrets and I'll expose yours."

A stony silence settled between us while the Uchiha brothers read the files, exchanging worried glances.

"Where did you get these?" Sasuke demanded. My breath hitched.

I had stolen the dossier files from the Hokage's office in Konoha. It was the most difficult task of my life, but I guess that's another story for another time.

"That's for me to know, and for you to never find out," I whispered slyly, grin as wide as the Cheshire cat's himself.

Itachi glanced over at Sasuke, while Sasuke responded with a slight nod. It seemed as if they had come to an agreement of sorts.

Sighing, Itachi finally said, "fine. It's a deal. We will keep your secrets as long as you keep ours."

* * *

 **So like, my phone fucked up and somehow deleted the entire story. So this is a re-upload.  
The latest chapter is supposed to be chapter 6.  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2.**

* * *

Of the sanity that remains.

* * *

"So," Kakashi drawled out, looking barely awake. "The facts?"

It was a fine morning. The morning sun shining, birds chirping. Had there not been a gaping hole in the middle of the forest, sectioned off with police tape, with a charred body in a body bag next to it- Kakashi would have dared to say the scene was picturesque.

"Cause of death was multiple stab wounds to the chest," Yugao replied, interrupting Kakashi's overview of the area. "Not caused by a knife however, but a glass shard. By the looks of the remains, the body was burned not too long ago; probably somewhere  
between 11pm to 2am, which places the time of death at around- hey, are you even listening?"

Kakashi looked at Yugao sheepishly, suppressing a yawn. "Ahaha, sorry. You know I'm not a morning person." You couldn't blame him. Nobody wants to be woken at 6am in the morning to be informed that he had to arrive at a crime scene in an hour.

Yugao frowned at her co-worker with a sigh. "With all due respect, _senpai_ , this is a murder case. At least try to look professional."

"Alright, alright. Well, moving on, you're doing pretty well for your first investigation Yugao. Most newbies only get the minor cases, but I can see why you've been assigned to a murder case so soon."

In fact, as far as Kakashi remembered, he was the only other member of the police force who also received a murder investigation as his first case. Chuckling slightly to himself, Kakashi made a mental note to keep an eye on this girl – she may just become  
his successor once he retires. Still, he couldn't help but notice the rookie mistakes that she made.

To the majority, they would indeed conclude that the cause of death was the stab wounds to the chest. They were displayed all over his chest; one's eyes would immediately be drawn to the vertical stab to the sternum, and after a closer look the few others  
scattered around the lungs and diaphragm would be seen too.

To any ordinary person, the cause of death was plainly obvious- however, that was exactly the problem; it was _too_ obvious. The stabs were deep, and all were positioned in fatal areas – it was just too perfect. Even if the victim had been restrained,  
it was highly unlikely that the murderer could have made such perfect punctures without even one sign of imperfection, one mistake, one miss. It was too planned, as if done _after_ the victim had already died; to draw attention away from something  
else. Perhaps, the real cause of death. Of course, this was all speculation. Nothing will be confirmed until the official autopsy is completed.

Looking over to Yugao, Kakashi said, "Let's get the body to Shizune. I have a feeling there's more to this than meets the eye."

* * *

That night, I was restless. Tossing and turning, the image of the charred, blackened body haunted my head, leeching away my last drops of sanity. If I even had any to begin with. I mean, I involved a classmate and his brother through blackmail without  
even batting an eye.

But then again, what was I expecting. To sleep like a baby, without any sign of guilt or remorse? Even I wasn't _that_ heartless.

Sighing, I crept out of bed in search of water, accepting the infinite sleepless nights that were in store for me.

* * *

The day at school was hectic, to say the least. Every whisper, giggle and shriek made the hairs on my neck stand on end. That alone was enough to keep me awake, even though I tossed and turned all night. The endless question of _'Do they know?'_ disturbed  
my head the entire day.

Luckily, Sasuke and I didn't have any classes together today, to my relief. I did not want to face him today (or either of them ever again, to be honest), and I can just take my time packing up to avoid Itachi at the front gate.

To my dismay however, Sasuke came to me. Seeing him advance towards my locker, I slammed it shut, ready to make my getaway.

Sasuke however, the little brat, grabbed my arm and twisted it into a deadlock, shoving me against the locker. I couldn't see his expression from my position, but I could hear the seriousness in his voice – hell will be upon us.

"You're coming with me, right now, Chiaki. There's something you must see."

* * *

"Don't feel too bad Yugao; it was your first time. Besides, the naked eye can't discover everything."

Yugao, looking defeated, replied, "I know Shizune, I know. But I was just so sure that I was right."

The forensic pathologist laughed light-heartedly, "That's the thing with you detectives! Always so sure that you can't be wrong."

"Ouch Shizune, you seem to have us detectives all figured out."

The girls looked over to see Kakashi, leaning against the doorway to the autopsy room.

Shizune chuckled. "I try."

"That aside, let's get down to business. It seems like my theories were wrong on many levels. The cause of death wasn't made by the stab wounds – they were done after the burning of the body."

It was just like Yugao to waste no time. Then again, all newbies were uptight and 'strictly business'. It was only a matter of time before the gruesome nature of the job will start wearing her down though. When you deal with madness and violence for a  
living, you need a light atmosphere to keep your sanity. Kakashi almost pitied the girl, for the unknown dangers that were to come for her. He was almost about to tell her to loosen up, but was brought back to reality by Shizune's voice.

"Yes. The cause of death was in fact caused by blunt force trauma to the temple. It was a perfect hit; he died immediately. According to the shape of the wound, the murder weapon is unconfirmed; but is most likely a common household ornament, like a statue  
or vase. With these facts we can-"

"Come to the conclusion that the criminal is a woman, perhaps even a young girl," Kakashi interrupted.

"What?" Shizune asked, looking confused. "I was just going to say that we these facts we can tell that the criminal had intended to misguide us with the stab wounds. How did you come to the conclusion that it was a woman who did this?"

Kakashi gave Shizune a look, as if it was obvious. "It's confirmed that the stab wounds were made after death right? Why would anyone waste time for that, especially after the body was already burned, unless there was other incriminating evidence to be  
found on the body, that you can't get rid of?"

The girls stared blankly at him, confused as to where this was heading.

"Firstly, we can confirm that this was not a planned murder. The weapon of choice is enough proof- nobody in their right mind would use an ornament to kill by choice. She was forced to grab the first thing that her hands closed around, indicating that  
it was either a crime of passion, or self-defence. The way I see it though, it was self-defence. She hadn't meant to kill him; she panicked, and just happened to hit the temple in the exact spot that kills a person. That's some luck- or in her case,  
un-luck." Kakashi chuckled to himself at his own joke.

Yugao however, was unamused. " _Senpai_ , that still doesn't explain the why the criminal is a female."

Kakashi could almost swear that sometimes Yugao calls him _senpai_ not out of respect, but in mockery. Shrugging, he spells it out for her.

"It's the stab wounds. Even from a first glance, they were arranged too nicely. They were also extremely deep, indicating that the one who committed the stabbing was strong, with combat experience- more likely male. In fact, it shows that the head wound  
and the stab wounds were caused by two entirely different people. The head wound haveonly killed the victim by pure luck. It wasn't very deep, so had the criminal been off by even a quarter of an inch, he would've survived.

If the stab wounds and head wound were caused by the same person- no, it is impossible. No matter how you look at it, it wouldn't make sense not to use your full strength, despite trying to kill someone or to defend yourself. This establishes that the  
criminal who caused the head wound is physically weak. But then, suddenly, she becomes strong to make flesh wounds _that_ deep in the blink of an eye? Impossible. This suggests that the head wound was caused by someone small, lacking in strength.  
Hence why I say it's a she. Then, after realizing that burning the body would not hide the head wound, _she_ probably used an accomplice to help her make the deep punctures, to draw attention away from the temple. The body would be a mess after  
it was burned, so she knew by making obvious wounds, there is less chance that the head would be spotted. Just from these facts however, I suppose it wouldn't be wrong for you to assume that it could be a young boy too."

Yugao was left speechless. To deduct this much from just a few mere wounds; no wonder he is the head detective of Konoha. However, her main question was still left unanswered.

"If you admit that it could also be a young boy, then why are you convinced the criminal is female?"

Kakashi gave a lopsided grin, confirming to Yugao that there was indeed more that she was not aware of. He held up a file.

"This. The lab ran a DNA test from the hair fibres, and was able to identify the guy. Say, have you ever heard of Kisame Hoshigaki?"

Yugao's eyes widened. "T-that guy who was accused of rape on three occasions but was found innocent every time?"

"Yes," Kakashi replied. "If we've established that the criminal may have been defending herself, and that Hoshigaki is known for targeting females and getting away with it, I'd say it's pretty much confirmed that the one who killed him is a girl who went  
from victim to murderer from bad luck."

Shizune looked at the two detectives in their heated discussion, murmuring to herself, "Well, this narrows down our suspects."

* * *

 **End of Chapter 2.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Whew! And I thought I would miss my one-week deadline! I made it (barely, but it counts~)!**

 **Ladies and gents, presenting to you, chapter 3! Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, just my OC Chiaki and the plot.**

* * *

The cat and mouse game.

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me."

To say that I was worried was an understatement. Sitting in the school library, located besides the main building, Sasuke, Itachi and I were squashed on one of the loveseats. Our faces were buried in the latest edition of the Daily Konoha, its headlines officially marking the beginning of hell.

Man's Burned Body Discovered in the Woods.

The silence between us seemed to drag on for eternity, until Sasuke finally broke it with, "Fuck."

"Language, brother," Itachi scolded half-heartedly. Despite his calm demeanour, I could tell he was panicking on the inside. I knew the brothers too well, and could read their real thoughts behind the carefully constructed facades; after all, they used the same masks I did.

"You know Sasuke, when you said there was something I had to see, I would have sooner predicted a striptease than this. Thank you for making my already ruined day fifty times worse, really, thanks a bunch."

Sasuke sent me his signature glare. "Tch. You're the one who wanted to bury it in the woods. If we had it my way, his body would be rotting in a river, twenty miles away from Kono-"

"Enough, you two. This is hardly the time for blaming." The look on Itachi's face was surprising. He had always come across to me as a calm individual. He was a lawyer after all. Now, however, he looked more stressed than ever. "If they can uncover a body after mere hours of hiding it, how long will it take for them to find the suspects?"

The unanswered question lingered between us. Itachi had a point. I had never expected for the body to be discovered this quickly. Something was off- the body shouldn't have been found this soon. It was as if someone had seen us. But if they saw us, why weren't we reported? Why only report the body and not the culprit? I voiced my concerns to the brothers, and found that we were on the same wavelength.

"Maybe they couldn't see our faces," Sasuke suggested.

"It's possible, but even so, they should've at least seen our silhouettes. Yet, there was nothing of the sort mentioned in the papers. Either we're being too paranoid, or the police are withholding facts from the public- which would make sense to do so. If my deductions were correct, then we should expect a confrontation with the police soon," I said, twirling a lock of my navy blue hair between my fingers, something I always did when deep in thought.

I was about to say more when suddenly, Itachi's phone interrupted our conversation.

"Sorry. I'll be right back." Taking it out of his pocket, Itachi almost looked relieved to have an excuse to escape from our current dilemma. "It's work-related," he added curtly, before leaving the library in a rush (although there was no need to, since there were about five people in the library in total, including us).

"Annnnnd then there were two." I started tapping on my thigh with my fingers out of boredom. If Sasuke was annoyed by it, he didn't show it.

There was a silence between us-not an awkward one, however. While we aren't technically friends, we had always found ourselves stuck with each other in one way or another. We simply put up with each other; for different reasons, though. I put up with him because I have no one else. He puts up with me because he can't stand anyone else.

We were the odd ones out, so naturally, fate shoved us together.

* * *

I watched her sitting, one leg propped up over the other, drumming her fingers on her thigh. It was starting to annoy me, but I would never give her the satisfaction of showing it. When it was becoming evident that she wouldn't stop, however, I lost it.

"Will you stop that?"

I could see from the corner of my eye her mouth turning upwards in a grin. Satisfied that she got the reaction she wanted, she stopped.

Chiaki Kamikaze. Where do I even begin to describe her? To sum it up in one sentence- if the Devil had a daughter, it would be Chiaki. To say that she was the most annoying, infuriating and aggravating person in my life would be an understatement. Actually, Sakura was more annoying than her, so scratch that.

It also doesn't help that I cannot say no to her. I always let her have her way in the end, despite the amount of times I have lectured myself to stop. Whether it's responding to her attempts to annoy me or helping her hide a dead body, whatever Chiaki wanted, she got.

The worst part of all this? I would die for her, and still wouldn't know why I'd go that far.

"-me?"

Crap. I didn't realize that she had been trying to make conversation.

"Uh…Could you repeat that?"

She frowned, her navy blue hair cascading over one eye. "I asked, why are you helping a murderer like me?"

Yeah, I've been wondering the same thing. Why did I help her?

"Because… You remind me of Itachi I guess. You're both logical, tactical people. You wouldn't have killed that guy without good reason."

"…Good reason? Like how Itachi-killed-your-parents good reason?"

And there it was. I should've seen that one coming from a mile away. Played right into her trap yet again.

"How did you find out?" It was a question I didn't need to ask.

"The dossier files." We answered simultaneously.

Of course. I almost smacked myself for forgetting that she had stolen them. I should really try to steal them from her later.

"So, what actually happened with your family?"

I looked away. It would not benefit me in any way, shape or form to reveal to her my- our past. Of course, I do it anyways, because it's her.

* * *

Twenty-one years ago, a child was born, in a typical place, on a typical day. But that child was not a typical child. He belonged to the perfect set of parents, yes indeed. For the father was the head of the Konoha police, and the mother was a CEO. The child, who was christened Itachi Uchiha, was a genius like no other. At the age of three, he could read. At the age of ten, he graduated high school; at fifteen, university. He was as perfect as child could be. The parents, Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha, couldn't be prouder. Then, their perfect lives came to a skidding halt.

Seventeen years ago, a second child was born, in a typical place, on a typical day. Delighted, the parents expected a second genius- surely this could only further strengthen their power and status. The second child, however, was normal. Nine months of wasted anticipation turned into fury and utter hatred, all directed at the child. Many times they tried to get rid of him. Many times they had failed. For there was one member of the family who did not abandon him; Itachi, who swore he would protect his precious brother till the day he dies, leading to that fateful night.

Eleven years ago, Fugaku and Mikoto became the most despicable they had ever been.

"Why are you so useless?"

"Why did we ever decide to keep you?"

"Why aren't you perfect like Itachi?"

It was in that moment where time seemed to skip, as if someone had fast forwarded the scene with a remote control.

One minute, Fugaku was about to strike his second son; the next, he fell to the ground with a hole in his head. Soon after, Mikoto was bestowed the same fate. As she fell, the culprit behind the tyrants' downfall was revealed. Itachi stood, gun in one hand and the scent of gunpowder weaved into his clothes. His face betrayed nothing.

As they lay dying, Itachi felt a new feeling for the first time; pity. Pity that the two monsters had lived short, miserable lives, who could've been happy, had they realized that there was no such thing as perfection in this world.

* * *

I could tell that making Sasuke revisit his dark past was a mistake. It was taking a toll on him. His breathing became heavy and ragged, as if he had just ran a marathon, and he was staring blankly into space.

I shook his arm gently and said, "Stop Sasuke. Calm down." It only seemed to make him panic more.

Unsure of what to do next, I acted on instinct. Carefully, I wrapped both arms around his neck and pulled him in close. I could feel his erratic heartbeat thumping against my own chest. Gradually, arms curled around my waist, and his breathing calmed.

Leaning closer to my ear, Sasuke murmured a "thanks". I could feel his hot breath on my ear, causing me to feel a funny, warm feeling in the pit of my stomach, and a flush rise in my cheeks. Must be from a lack of oxygen from this stifling library.

Quickly pulling away, I mumbled "anytime" while trying to compose myself before things got even stranger.

Luckily, the second interruption of the day came, in the form of Sakura Haruno. For the first time in my life, I welcomed her presence.

"Oh my god, Sasuke-kunnnnn! I didn't know you were in here! We could've studied together!" She squealed like an eight-year-old. Then she noticed me, and her expression darkened instantly.

"You. Why are you with my Sasuke-kun?" If looks could kill, I'd be dead, so very dead.

Oh, this will be fun.

Snaking my arms possessively around Sasuke, I whispered in my most seductive voice, "Honey, it looks like we've been interrupted. Let's continue this later."

Both Sasuke and Sakura's faces went tomato red- for completely different reasons though. Sasuke looked like he was about to die from embarrassment, while Sakura looked like she was about to murder someone.

Taking this as my sign to leave, I walked to towards the exit, laughing uncontrollable, barely managing to choke out, "Relax, relax, it was just a joke!" before making my grand exit out the door- and bumping straight into Itachi, who had finished his call, by the looks of it.

"Oh hey Itachi, you just missed my priceless encounter with the Bitch-Queen herself." Not waiting for his reply, I continued my way down the corridor, wanting to get some fresh air outside.

Surprisingly, Itachi followed me, and popped an unexpected question.

"Are you jealous of her?"

The question initially shocked me. I'd never thought about it- but what if he was right? What if I only hated Sakura because I was jealous of her with Sasuke? What if she wasn't the horrible girl I made her out to be? I mean, I haven't actually talked to her before. Do I actually see Sasuke as more than an acquaintance, or even more than a friend? Do I want to?

Looking back at Itachi, he seemed to be contemplating about something himself. He must be plotting something; his forehead is always creased when he's thinking really hard. And then it hit me. His didn't actually care if I liked Sasuke or not, he wanted to dig information out of me. To find my weaknesses so he'd have something on me too. Yes, that must be it; why else would he ask something so atrocious? Psh, like I'd ever let him gain the upper hand.

"Maybe you're the one that's jealous, seeing me pay more attention to Sasuke-kun and not you." I smirked at my fast recovery, folding my arms and puffing out my chest triumphantly. In situations like this, your lies will always be seen through, I recited in my head. Rule number one to being a good liar; give nothing away. The most effective way to get out of answering personal questions is to either tell a half-truth, or to counter them with an equally unexpected question. It never fails.

Itachi looked at me, his forehead still creased. "And what if I am? What are you going to do?"

Whoa, that shouldn't have happened. He should've dropped the conversation. Why the hell didn't he? I was stepping into dangerous grounds, and I had foolishly treaded into it myself. I really should've known. He is a genius after all. He probably sees through all my petty tricks. It was unnerving, the way he was quite unpredictable. I can't have that. I need to do something, anything, to keep him from winning this silent battle.

It was unspoken of, between the three of us, but we all knew anyway. What we had wasn't friendship. Or love. Or anything, for that matter. It was just a torturous cat and mouse game that was slowly unravelling our secrets. I was winning now, but for how long? How long until they're going to find out about my past? How long until I'll be the ones grovelling at their feet so they won't tattle-tale on me? How long have I actually thought that I would be safe with them?

I needed to get away from him. Tilting my chin up, and looking directly into his eyes, I spoke in my most commanding voice.

"Look, I don't have time for cat-and-mouse games, Itachi, I have work that needs to be done. Step aside."

He didn't budge.

"I'm not the one playing cat and mouse games."

"I'm not playing! I just…you wouldn't understand."

"…I see. Have a good afternoon, Chiaki."

Taking it as my cue to leave, I walked briskly past him, towards the exit of the building. As I was almost out the door however, Itachi stunned me yet again.

"You know the thing about cat-and-mouse games? Cats usually win."

His eyes bore into mine, and, for what seemed like an eternity, we stood facing each other as we finally acknowledged one another- not as friends, nor allies; but as players in the same game.

"What makes you so sure I'm the mouse?"

I didn't wait for his reply.

* * *

Unknown to me, Itachi had responded anyways.

"I never said you were."

* * *

 **Wow this chapter turned out longer than I thought. Hopefully it kept you entertained, hehe.**

 **If you're confused about anything right now, don't be. All will be revealed~ -insert evil grin here-**

 **As always, feel free to leave comments, constructive criticism, anything that will help me improve this story.**

 **With that,**

 **Meisho out~ o/**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4.  
**

* * *

An encounter of fate.

* * *

"It's been days, senpai. When are we going to arrest the suspects?" Yugao complained, the lack of activity within the police force getting to her.

"Patience Yugao-san. Remember, our goal is to make her believe that she is not under suspicion. The more she knows we suspect her, the more guarded she's going to be. We need to make her feel safe enough for her to talk."

Of course Yugao remembered. How could she forget, with a case as bizarre as this?

 _"Hoshigaki was accused of raping three women; however, only one of them could have possible connections to our murderer. Her name was Sorano Yukari. She accused Hoshigaki of raping her eighteen years ago, but there wasn't enough evidence to prove him guilty. While forensics proved that she had been raped, none of the evidence pointed to him," Kakashi explained._

 _Kakashi, Shizune and Yugao were seated in Shizune's cosy little office, with the former two looking perplexed, while the latter remained ever serious._

 _"I see. But why is she the only one with possible connections to our murderer?" Yugao questioned._

 _Kakashi was about to explain, but was cut off by Shizune, "Because the other two were forced to relocate years ago. One is now in the Land of Lightning and the other in Wind. The media and gossip involving those cases became too much for them. Reporters camped in front of their houses day in and day out. Many sent them hate-mail for 'wrongfully accusing an innocent man'. There were even a few death threats. Heck, I'd relocate too if it were me."_

 _Shizune shuddered at the thought. Kakashi had to agree with her; the gossip network was way too strong in Konoha. Being one of the most politically opinionated cities in the Land of Fire also has its downsides. Once you were on the bad side of the media, you were on the bad side of the entire village._

 _"So then, this Sorano lady is the only one remaining in Konoha?"_

 _"Well. Not exactly."_

 _Yugao tilted her head in confusion. Kakashi and Shizune glanced at each other, frowning. Finally, Kakashi explained._

 _"She committed suicide thirteen years ago."_

* * *

"Mr. Maito, are you _sure_ you want to dispute this?" Itachi questioned, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "It is unlikely that the litigation will be successful."

"Of course! This will become the ultimate dispute of youth!" Replied the man sitting across of him.

Itachi sighed inwardly, resting his chin on his knuckles, elbows propped on his large mahogany desk. This Maito Guy was going to be a piece of work. While technically, yes, the whole neighbour's-dog-destroyed-your-flower-garden story did serve as a legitimate excuse to sue, the whole thing was beyond ridiculous. This forty-something-year-old man was just… In a word; _weird_. His hair was groomed into a shiny, black, spherical bowl that seemed to reflect light, and he wore a green jumpsuit (yes, _green)_. What annoyed Itachi the most, however, was that the smile on his face seemed to be glued there- almost as if he was incapable of any other emotion.

"With all due respect sir, it really would be cheaper to spend your money on replacing the flower garden than to dispute this."

As Itachi suspected, Maito would have none of it.

"Now, now, my youthful friend. It's not about the money. It's about what's right. Such a youthful fellow should understand. Aren't you youngsters all about justice and equality or whatever nowadays?"

Itachi's brow twitched. Something about this man really irked him. Mr. Maito reminded him of, who was it- ah, yes. Chiaki. Although, Chiaki annoys him on purpose, while this man seemed to be unaware of how annoying he was. Well, great, Chiaki not only plagues his brother and his house, but now also his thoughts.

It was strange. The encounter they had at the library really showed a new side of her. Itachi had always suspected that there was more to the girl, but he never expected it to be this… _Ugly_. He had intended for their encounter to clear his suspicions of her, but it only made him more aware. _What could she be hiding? Why did she kill that man? Why did she drag them into it?_

Sasuke's feelings for Chiaki is also becoming a problem. Although he never speaks of it, Itachi knew that what his brother felt for the girl was more than a schoolboy crush; it was an obsession.

An obsession that will destroy him in the end. He must stop it before it's too late.

"Umm, hello? Earth to youthful boy?"

His thoughts interrupted, Itachi tuned back to the green package of sunshine and rainbows (note the sarcasm).

"My apologies, it seems that I did not get enough sleep last night," Itachi said, not at all apologetic. He really needed an excuse to get away from this man- there is a limit as to how much positive energy he can be exposed to in one day. This was just _too_ much.

"Very well, if you are insistent on disputing this case then I shall assist you. However, let's end it here today. We shall prepare a writ next time."

* * *

 _"Committed suicide? Why?"_

 _"It's unknown, although it was likely that it was related to the rape. You see, she gave birth to a child as a result of it. Considering the timing, the child should be around seventeen years of age by now."_

 _Yugao gasped. Suddenly, the pieces seemed to click together. "So you're saying, her child may have been the one to kill Hoshigaki as an act of revenge?"_

 _Kakashi nodded. "Yes, although it's a mystery as to why she kept the child in the first place."_

 _Shizune nodded along in agreement. "Yes, it is strange. It would be like having a living reminder of the pain and humiliation you went through."_

 _Frowning, she proceeded to open a drawer under her large office desk, and sifted through a pile of sheets and folders until she produced a dossier file._

 _"This is where it gets even stranger. The child was registered under her husband's family name, not her own, even though they divorced shortly after the birth."_

 _"If you think about it, she might've done it on purpose; if people had found out that she had her rapist's baby, it would've been hard on both of them," Kakashi argued._

 _"Yes, but-"_

 _"Wait, wait." Yugao's cool voice cut through their conversation, causing the two to gaze at her questioningly. "Who is the child?"_

 _Shizune glanced at her, surprised. "Oh, you don't know? I thought Kakashi would've briefed you on this prior to the meeting."_

 _Kakashi held up both of his hands as if to admit his guilt. "Sorry, I forgot."_

 _Shaking her head, Shizune tossed her the dossier file, to which Yugao caught with ease. Opening the folder, Yugao's eyes were immediately drawn to the picture on the top-right corner, fastened to the document with a paper clip. It was of a young girl's face with shiny blue eyes, and wavy, navy blue hair, cascading all the way down, past her shoulders, until the picture cut it off. Her skin was as pale as chalk. She wore a blank expression, her bud-shaped mouth and trimmed brows giving nothing away as to what she was thinking. Beside the picture were the large, bold letters._

 _KAMIKAZE, Chiaki._

* * *

As the school bell rang, Sasuke walked downstairs the main building towards his locker, deep in thought. The past few days had been awkward, to say the least. While Sasuke and Chiaki acted as if nothing at all had changed, everything had. _It was all because of that stupid moment in the library,_ Sasuke thought. _Stupid, stupid, stupid._ He should've never told her about his past; it only gave her another piece information to blackmail him with. And as pathetic as it sounded, the way she held him close during that moment had lit a fire in his chest. Now he couldn't be within two feet of her without feeling the familiar burning heat. He couldn't decide whether it made him want to edge closer, or run far away.

Chiaki was right for questioning his intentions. No normal person would be so willing to help, even with the blackmail threat. And what a lame response it was; hopefully she had bought it. Technically, it wasn't really a lie. She did remind him of Itachi. Despite how different they may appear to be on the outside, deep down, they both had hearts of ice, and wills of steel. Itachi, after all, had killed his own _parents_ for Sasuke's sake. Or maybe deep down, it was a way to vent his own frustrations. Itachi suffered in his own way, being the eldest and the 'genius'. _Being the best isn't as great as it's made out to be,_ Itachi once said. _When you are on the top, people immediately have an unrealistic set of expectations for you_. _When their expectations aren't met, they turn their false admiration into hatred, and punish you for their own blindness._

From that perspective, what Chiaki had done looked mediocre in comparison to Itachi. Although Sasuke wasn't sure of her intentions, one thing is for sure. Chiaki must've killed that man out of a personal vendetta. That much was obvious. Although she claims that the man had attacked her first, it was a blatant lie she didn't need to tell. Sasuke wished he could investigate this whole issue further… If only she didn't hold so much power over them. It was too risky. What's even scarier is the fact that he _wanted_ to help her, despite all the blackmailing and whatnot. He understood her need for vengeance, he _knew_ it. He was never able to get it himself, after all.

 _I was never able to take my revenge. Itachi took that chance from me. The least I can do is to help Chiaki get hers._

Either way, he was trapped; like a moth to a flame. It was only a matter of time before he'll burn.

* * *

I was so done.

These last few days have been a total nightmare. Not only did I get flustered in the argument with Itachi, I also ruined my carefree relationship with Sasuke. Not that we acted as if anything was different, but we both felt it underneath. There was some sort of burning tension between us. Ever since that day at the library, something had changed. And I didn't like it one bit.

Shutting my locker with a satisfying clang, I proceeded to walk out of school. Or more like, stomp. The distance from school to home was a fifteen minute walk. Usually, I'd just hitch a ride with Sasuke (lucky bastard gets driven by his brother), but since I wanted to avoid him whenever possible, I chose to walk instead. Besides, I was _not_ in the mood to deal with Itachi again anytime soon.

While I've been having less nightmares, I was still getting abysmal amounts of sleep. The first half of bedtime would be spent tossing and turning, wondering if the police would show up on my doorstep anytime soon. Then, as my eyes finally close, my alarm would 'gently' remind me to get up for school again. It was such an endless cycle of boredom. I wish I could just fast forward into the future.

As I walked down the main street, I took in Konoha's landscape. If Konoha was good for anything, it was the artistic scenery of the tightly compressed houses, blended in with the native trees that strangely seemed to remain green throughout all four seasons.

As I was about to make a right turn, the reflection on the shop window in front of me caught my eye. There was an odd figure behind me, donned in a large trench coat, shades and a hat covering most of his head and face. He was following me. This smells like trouble.

I quickly made my turn and ducked into some thick bushes nearby. There was a path deeper in that I discovered this track when I was younger. It served as a great escape route, as not many know of its existence. I made my way deeper into the trees and bush, getting leaves and twigs stuck all over my hair and clothes. Soon, I came to a small clearing, where there was a dirt track, barely noticeable amongst the greenery. While it also lead to home, it was going to take an extra ten minutes. Sighing, I trudged my way down the path. Oh well, at least I'm sure I've lost my stalker now.

After for what seemed like an eternity, I reached my home. It was a small apartment that used to belong to my mother. It wasn't shabby, but it wasn't exactly the definition of luxury either. It was mediocre; dull, like the rest of my life was.

As I was about to open the gate, I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"Argh!" I shrieked, jumping back, my schoolbag falling to the ground with a thud.

In front of me was the stalker from before, except now, he wasn't wearing that abomination of an outfit anymore. His hair was that of a grey-white, but strangely, he didn't look very old. I guess that was debatable, however, as more than half of his face was covered with a cloth mask. His left eye was the only part of his face that was uncovered. _How did he know where I lived? Could he have seen me go into the bush?_

"Aha… Sorry about that." He sounded more amused than apologetic.

"What do you want?" I demanded.

To my surprise, he smiled at me. Or at least, the way his eye curled suggested he did.

"Chiaki Kamikaze, right?"

The blood in my veins ran cold. This didn't sound good at all.

The man must've took my silence as a yes, because he carried on. "We need to talk."

Yep, I am _so_ done.

* * *

 **End of Chapter 4.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Alright, I know I have some explaining to do.**

 **Firstly, I apologize for abandoning this story.  
I had two reasons for doing so - firstly, school got really busy so I had to drop a lot of things.  
Secondly, I lost interest in Naruto for a while, and so that made me lost interest in this story.**

 **However, now that school holidays have started, I will continue and finish this, as I do not like leaving things unfinished.  
My interest in Naruto has piqued again too, so that will serve as good motivation. **

**I had more planned for this chapter, but I've decided to split it into two separate chapters as I need time to jog my memory as to where I wanted this story to go plot-wise, and if everything so far makes sense. Please do point out any plot-holes if you find one.**

 **I've also updated the cover art, just to give it a 'fresh' look~**

 **So, without further ado, after a year of abandonment, I present chapter 5...**

* * *

And the plot thickens.

* * *

The tension between them could be sliced with a knife. Yet, neither backed down on the ongoing staring contest.

"You don't need to look so tense, Chiaki-san. I only want to ask you some questions," Kakashi reassured. "Unless, you have something to you wish to confess." He added as an afterthought.

I almost scoffed at this. If that one-eyed weirdo thinks he's going to coax anything out of me, he's got another thing coming. Putting on my most innocent face, I tried my best to come off as clueless.

"Confess? What are you talking about?"

Kakashi eyed me cautiously. He was looking for facial expressions, movements, signs – anything that suggested I was lying. He found nothing, of course.

"Eighteen years ago your mother accused a man of raping her, but he was found innocent. I'm sure you're aware of this – after all, you exist as a result of it."

I nodded, urging him to go on, even though I knew exactly where this was heading.

"Said man was murdered about six days ago."

"Murdered?" I echoed, pretending to look shocked. Then, I let my expression change from shock to concern. "Wait, you're not suspecting me are you? Because I don't know anything about this."

If Kakashi wasn't convinced, he didn't show it. "You know absolutely nothing? Strange, considering there's been nothing else on the news but this case for the past few days."

"Never liked watching the news, mate. Nothing but cheap drama, sob stories and advertisements."

"Ah. Well, we just wanted to ask a few questions regarding your mother."

"What if I exercise my right to remain silent?"

"That's fine; however it may make you look guilty."

"I thought you didn't suspect me."

"Didn't. Not wouldn't."

Suddenly, I shifted the topic. "First, I would like to ask you about something."

He slowly nodded, urging me to continue.

I looked at him straight in the eye. "Why didn't the police conduct a re-investigation if they knew that my mother became pregnant? All you had to do was compare my DNA to that of the accused."

Kakashi shifted his gaze, openly showing emotion for the first time. It was that of guilt.

"We tried, Chiaki. Really, we did," he sighed. "But Sorano discovered her pregnancy weeks after the trial had ended. By then, Hoshigaki had long disappeared. I pleaded with the Chief of Police to re-open the investigation, but he firmly ordered us not  
/to touch the case again."

I allowed myself to display frustration. "Why the hell not?"

"Chief wanted to protect the image of the Police Department. We hadn't fully recovered from _that_ incident…there were still distrust amongst the citizens. We couldn't risk even more distrust of the Police Department, not when we're supposed to be  
/protecting Konoha."

 _That_ incident. The incident where Fugaku, the previous Chief of Police and Mikoto Uchiha, his wife, were murdered by their own son. By Itachi.

"So you're saying my mother suffered for over _six_ years because you bastards wanted to protect your image?"

Kakashi looked away. "It sounds bad, but yes."

Then, he looked at me directly. In a way, it was unnerving, being stared at with only one soulless black eye.

"I'm sorry for what they did. From the bottom of my heart. But what's happened has happened, and right now we're trying to make up for our past mistakes by uncovering the truth. But we can't do it alone, Chiaki, we need your help. So please tell us anything  
/you may know."

I sighed. Judging by his expression, he wasn't going to quit until he got something out of me. Whoever this man was, he was dangerous. Effortlessly, he had backed me into a corner. If I were to disagree I would shift from _a_ suspect to _the only_ suspect.

I had to prove my loyalty now. Luckily, I had a trump card.

"Alright, fine. I'll try to answer as many questions about my mother as I can, but as far as evidence goes, I only have one piece. One that I've kept hidden from the police for the past thirteen years."

This seemed to pique his interest. "Oh? And what would that be?"

"My mother's suicide note."

* * *

He was doing it again.

Ever since the murder, Sasuke looked like he had aged ten years. He was sitting at the dining table, resting his chin on his hands, brows furrowed. Deep in thought. It's a wonder how people can change so much in a span of four days.

Itachi frowned, almost mimicking his brother's expression. Sitting across from him with a cup of his favourite green tea in hand, Itachi begins to ponder too.

Sasuke _liked_ her. It was an obsession. Yes, that much was indisputable. It was already clear that it was more than a schoolboy crush. What's important is to what degree does the obsession go; was it undying love?

Either way, Sasuke was in a dangerous position. That girl cannot be trusted, and since Itachi was more likely to be successful in interrogating him than her, he's been left with no choice. Not that getting an answer out of him would be easy, though.

On one hand, Uchihas - especially Uchiha men - had a long-standing history of being awful at openly admitting to their emotions. On the other hand, however, asking him directly may catch him off guard; maybe enough for him to accidentally reveal his feelings.  
/It was certainly worth a try, especially since Itachi prided himself in being able to read others well.

"Sasuke."

He looked up, inclining an eyebrow to show that he was listening.

"…Do you like her?"

"…Who?"

"You know who."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. It was obvious that he didn't like where this conversation was going.

"Not really," he replies with nonchalance, as if challenging Itachi to press him further. "I tolerate her."

Itachi almost scoffed. "Then care to explain why you've been avoiding each other like the plague ever since we were at the library together? She didn't even hitch a ride with you to and from school."

Now it was Sasuke's turn to scoff. "And that alone means that we're avoiding each other? And if we are in fact avoiding each other,that points to me liking her?"

"Yes."

Sasuke sighed heavily.

"We're not having this conversation." He stood up and began to walk away.

Now it was Itachi's turn to sigh. "I'm just worried about you."

Sasuke stopped in his tracks, contemplating his words.

"…I get it. And I appreciate it, but you have nothing to worry about."

He looked at Itachi directly in the eyes. "I do not like Chiaki. And I never will."

The silence only lasted a few seconds, but felt like an eternity. Finally, Itachi broke eye contact, and tipped his head with a single nod.

"Alright."

Sasuke seemed surprised that Itachi did not push further, but made no attempt to question it. He gave one more glance at Itachi, before slowly moving away from the dining table and heading towards his room.

Itachi watched him shut the door, before muttering to himself, "looks like I was right after all."

* * *

 **And that concludes chapter 5.  
Again, my utmost apologies for leaving this story unfinished for a year.**

 **I'd really appreciate reviews as they motivate me to write!**

 **With that said, see you all in the next chapter~**

 **~Meisho**


	6. Chapter 6

**This story is surprisingly hard to write, if I do say so myself.  
The fact that I'll be starting university soon too doesn't help.**

 **I do hope my writing is gradually improving and maturing; especially compared to the first few chapters.**

 **This was meant to be the second half of chapter 5, which I broke into two so I could give myself time to think.  
Chapter 7 should go back to the regular 2,000+ word length, although to be honest keeping it under 1,500 words has it's pros.  
Maybe I'll stick to shorter chapters; I'll decide by the next chapter for sure.**

 **For now, enjoy chapter 6!**

* * *

Let the games begin.

* * *

 _I can no longer raise my rapist's child.  
She will always be a living reminder of that monster.  
Tell her I am sorry. Goodbye._

Kakashi read the note over and over again.

Something just didn't add up.

"Still obsessing over that case, huh?" Yugao interrupted.

Kakashi turned to see her leaning against the doorway to his office. It was almost 11pm, and the other detectives had already left.

"Well, they made me head detective for a reason," Kakashi chuckled, as Yugao pulled up a chair beside him, and started rummaging through the stacks of evidence. "Why are you still here?"

"Because someone needs to be here to keep you from going mad," Yugao joked half-heartedly, although it didn't really reach her eyes.

It seems like she's getting the hang of detective humour, Kakashi mused to himself, although quickly realising that it just meant detective work was starting to eat her alive.

Ah, the inevitable fate of detectives.

"So, Kamikaze said that she found this in her mother's jewellery box. Must've been be quite traumatizing for a five-year-old."

Kakashi shook his head. "I don't know. There's something strange about this note. About her. It just doesn't quite add up for me."

Yugao raised an eyebrow, signalling for him to continue.

Kakashi opened his desk drawer, and took out a voice recorder.

"Here, listen to this first."

He pressed play.

 _"Why didn't you hand over the suicide note to the police?"_

 _"…I guess I wanted to keep it as a memento. I mean, I couldn't even read half of the words on it. I didn't know it was a suicide note at the time."_

 _"Then why did you keep it?"_

 _"Because of two words. 'Sorry', and 'goodbye'. They were the only words I could read, and considering that my mother had just killed herself, I connected the dots. Besides, the police never asked me for it, so I wasn't aware."_

 _"You should've handed that to the police-"_

 _"Again. I was five."_

There was a silence after that. Yugao could imagine that both parties were probably close to strangling each other at that point. Despite that, Kakashi was still the first to break the silence.

 _"Anyways, do you think the murder of Hoshigaki might have something to do with your mother's suicide?"_

 _"I doubt it. I mean, she's dead. Right before her suicide, I was all she had. Her so-called friends all abandoned her because they didn't want to get mixed up in the bad press. My father left before I was born. And I didn't find out about the full story until years later, and I've already made peace with my tragic beginning by now. I just don't see anyone who would want to kill Hoshigaki to avenge my mother."_

 _"…I see. Thank you for your time."_

The voice recorder faded into static, before silencing completely.

Yugao frowned at the recorder, deep in thought. Kamikaze Chiaki was indeed suspicious.

"A man was killed, who happened to be a rapist, who happened to assault her mother and get away with it, who happened to die in the same city as the victim's daughter, who also happened to be her _father_? And she says it must be a coincidence?  
/I don't buy it for a second."

* * *

Things are getting out of hand. Although the police never disclosed to the public about my interrogation, the media had already made a jump on things. _Murdered rapist had a daughter. Rapist's daughter turns into killer?_ Konoha was abuzz with talk  
/of who this mysterious daughter-slash-murderer was; as if it was certain that she was the killer just because the media says so. Well, to be fair they weren't wrong…for once, they were right on target.

I sighed, twirling a lock of my deep blue hair as I walked out of the school gates after another boring day of classes. Though I should probably enjoy these days while I can; who knows how long it'll take before I'm arrested.

I sighed again.

How ironic. A man who commits a crime to seek pleasure gets away with it three times, while a girl who commits a crime seeking justice is close to being arrested within a few days. Have I not planned this thoroughly enough, or was that Hoshigaki bastard  
/just extremely lucky? Or perhaps fate was simply cruel?

As I rounded the corner of the block, I ran face-first into something soft yet firm. It was a man's chest. It was Itachi's chest.

I gazed up, preparing to scold him to watch where he's going when his expression catches me off guard. It was foreign; an expression I'd never seen on him before. On the surface, it looked like his usual poker-face. But I've known him long enough to see  
/that underneath that, it was covered in something darker; some sort of inner turmoil or conflict within himself.

Before I could ask if he was okay however, his expression reverted back to the usual poker-face, and he started speaking.

"Ah Chiaki, I was looking for you."

"Uchiha. Aren't you usually home with Sasuke by now?"

"I was waiting for you. You usually hitch a ride with Sasuke. There's nothing wrong between you two, is there?"

I stiffened at his insinuation. It was his way of asking "what's wrong?", without verbally having to. He's always like this. Dodging around and prying his way into your mind.

Ever since the incident at the library, I've been extra careful around him too.

I forced on a mask of pretence, scoffing as I replied, "Of course not. Is it a crime for a girl to want to walk every now and then?"

Itachi's lips turned upwards into the smallest smirk. "You, willing to exercise? This must be the apocalypse."

A small chuckle escaped me, despite my efforts to try and supress it. It annoys me to no end that that Uchiha bastard knows just which buttons to push to get me to smile, laugh, frown. Perhaps it was a mistake dragging him into this.

"If you want to walk that much, then I'll walk you home."

"…Huh?" I stared at him, almost gaping. That definitely wasn't a very _Uchiha_ thing to do. Come to think of it, Itachi has been acting strangely from the moment we bumped into each other to now.

Something was up, and I'm going to find out what.

"Isn't Sasuke waiting for you in the car?" A simple and safe question first, just to test the waters.

Itachi's mouth twitched slightly again. This was probably the most he's smiled in a day since the tragedy with his parents.

"Actually, I lied. One of my clients picked up Sasuke a while ago. He's a taxi driver, and had demanded to give us free rides for a month as a thank you for winning his case. I came only to see you. I need to speak with you."

I was beginning to feel uncomfortable. Itachi was being too…nice. And although he was a perfect gentleman, he had never bothered with such pretentious gestures with me before. Everything felt off.

And then it hit me.

This was the game; the cat-and-mouse game that we had been subtly playing for years, before it all escalated in the library. He's trying to get me to admit defeat. Well, if it's a game he wants, it's a game he'll get.

"Oh my!" I exclaimed in my most exaggerated tone, cupping my cheeks in my hands as if embarrassed. " _The_ Itachi Uchiha taking me out for a walk? What an honour it is!"

Itachi looked at me for a second with an unreadable expression on his face - as if surprised that I took the challenge - before acknowledging the acceptance with the infamous Uchiha smirk.

He held out his arm, gesturing for me to take it. I complied with the sweetest smile I could muster, and arm in arm, we headed towards my home.

* * *

 **If Itachi seems OOC in this chapter, it's for a good reason!  
All will be revealed in good time~**

 **Do you guys prefer Chiaki x Itachi or Chiaki x Sasuke so far?  
I've tried to keep the two as balanced as a can. **

**As always, make sure to follow/fav/review!  
You have no idea how much they mean to me.**

 **Until the next chapter,  
~Meisho**


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